If you’ve been researching Toyota vehicles at all over the past few years, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve heard of the STAR Safety System. STAR was a suite of safety features that came together to provide a better sense of security and confidence behind the wheel. Over the past few years they’ve changed and added different programs, but with the abundance of new driver-assistive safety features behind released each year, it was about time Toyota came up with a new suite of technology. Enter: Toyota Safety Sense.

We thought we’d give you a rundown on what exactly the new Toyota Safety Sense program is, and quickly explain the five core safety features that make up TSS. Vehicles will still have other standard and available technologies that aren’t included in the TSS suite, but these are five of the most important features and combined they should deliver an even greater sense of security and confidence than STAR did.

Which Programs Make up TSS?

As we mentioned, there are five different safety programs that make up the Toyota Safety Sense system. We thought we’d list each and give a quick rundown on what they do. Some of these features we’ve already covered in our weekly in-depth feature analyzations, others we’ll cover deeper in the future.

Pre-Collision System (PCS): PCS utilizes the combination of radar and camera to scan the road in front of you. The system will then be able to detect a potential forward collision, and not only send you both audible and visual warnings but offer brake assistance as well. If you don’t step on the brakes, the system can also take over completely and apply full pressure to the braking system.

Lane Departure Alert (LDA): Also sometimes known as Lane Departure Warning, LDA will utilize cameras to sense the lane lines on either side of your vehicle. If you drift over those lines without signaling, then the technology will alert you both visually and audibly.

Auto High Beams (AHB): Not only does AHB help you with visibility during nighttime driving, but it also eliminates the need for constantly switching your high beams on and off when traffic shows up in front of you. The system uses a camera to detect headlights and taillights in front of you, automatically switching between your high and low beams on the go.

Pedestrian Detection (PD): Other vehicles aren’t the only thing you need to worry about when you’re on the road, which is where PD comes into play. This technology not only keeps you safe, but assures the safety of everyone around the road as well by utilizing both a shape-recognizing camera and millimeter-wave radar. The system is capable of sending alerts as well as automatically braking if a collision with a pedestrian is detected.

Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC): AKA Adaptive Cruise Control, the DRCC system assists in a similar fashion to AHB by eliminating the need to constantly worry about your cruise control. DRCC allows you not only to set your desired speed, but also your desired distance between you and anything in front of you. If the system then detects a vehicle in front of you moving at a slower pace, it can slow down to keep the desired distance rather than needing you to step on the brakes.

Again, these aren’t the only programs available in Toyota vehicles today, and they are also no substitute for your best judgment. If you have any questions about these systems, how they work or which vehicles they’re available in, don’t hesitate to give us a call.